GM shuttering Opel plant in Belgium as part of European overhaul

General Motors is pulling the plug on it's Antwerp, Belgium, plant, the automaker announced Thursday, in an attempt to restructure it's European operations. The automaker also says it's going to cut 8,300 jobs across Europe. The plant, which has built 14 million cars since it opened in 1924, currently employs about 1,400 workers.

"The decision to announce this today was not taken lightly; instead, it is the unfortunate result of the current business reality," said GM Europe President Nick Reilly, who is also head of GM's German carmaker Adam Opel. "We must make this announcement now so that we can secure a viable future for the entire Opel and Vauxhall operations." (Opel sells under the Vauxhall brand in Britain.)

Opel has been in a state of flux for the past year, as General Motors attempted to sell the brand and then changed its mind in November. Reilly said he's been working on a plan to restructure Open since then. The automaker needed to cut production capacity by 20%.

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About Chris Woodyard

Chris Woodyard is an auto writer for USA TODAY who covers all aspects of motoring. He revels in the exhaust note of a Maserati and the sharp creases of a Cadillac CTS. Chris strives to live a Porsche life on a Scion budget. More about Chris